Mohammedan Sporting returned to winning form with a 1-0 win over the visiting Mumbai FC in a ninth round encounter of the I-League football at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Wednesday. Brazilian striker Joshimar da Silva found the winner off a first-half penalty.
Looking for its first win at home, Mohammedan Sporting made a sluggish start. But it warmed up to some good attacks later in the first half.
Sporting’s Nigerian coach Moshood Bola Abdulaziz tried to bring solidity to the side by employing a lone specialist striker in Joshimar while resting Australian attacker Tolgay Ozbey.
Luciano Sobrosa and Ajay Singh saw their efforts covered by the Mumbai FC custodian A.C. Nidhinlal before the penalty in the 35th minute. The penalty came about after Mumbai defender Ritesh Perambra handled an attempt by Ajay Singh inside the box.
Despite employing all his four Afghan recruits — strikers Hashmatullah Barikzai and Sandjar Ahmadi, midfielder Ahmad Hatifie and central defender Zohrab Amiri — Mumbai coach Khalid Jamil failed to find momentum.
Sporting now has 10 points while Mumbai FC remains on seven points.
Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan held Shillong Lajong FC 1-1 in an away game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Shillong.
The host went ahead in the 38th minute through a penalty conversion by its Trinidad and Tobago international Cornell Glen. Bagan equalised through midfielder Zakeer Mundampara two minutes later.
Both teams were reduced to 10 men in the opening half with Bagan losing Nigerian defender Echezona Anyichie in the 36th. Lajong’s midfielder Jibon Singh was given the marching orders in injury time.
Special Correspondent reports from New Delhi :
Martins fined
The All India Football Federation Players’ Status Committee, which met here on Wednesday, decided to impose a fine of Rs. 1 lakh on Jovel Martins for breach of players’ contract.
The committee felt that as per the Player Status Regulations Article 21, Martins, who had allegedly signed for two clubs, should be fined for violating the contract.
The results: At Kolkata: Mohammedan Sporting 1 (Joshimar da Silva 35-pen) bt Mumbai FC 0.
At Shillong: Shillong Lajong FC 1 (Cornell Glen 38-pen) drew with Mohun Bagan 1 (Zakeer Mundampara 40).
At Mapusa: Dempo Sports Club 1 (Jeje Lalpekhlua 15) bt Churchill Brothers 0.
At Pune: Pune FC 1 (James Meyer 71) bt Bengaluru FC 0.
